Closing Olympic Remarks

Now that the Olympics are finished, before looking ahead to London 2012 (tickets go on sale in 2011!), I'd like to take a moment to think back to Vancouver 2010 and see what was learned. Three things come to mind:

1) Money and education really can get you anything. If you think there isn't a connection between the wealth here in the U.S. and our position on top of the medal count, you've got something coming.

2) Canada's Olympic Planning Committee sucks

3) Curling isn't quite as bad as I thought (see below)

Loyal Snack for Later readers may recall a post written just prior to the start of the Olympics where I stated how, despite some research, I just couldn't get into the sport of curling.

After the loving prodding of some better-educated friends and a couple hours of watching curling during those 16 wonderful days of Olympic competition, I'm ready to change the status of my curling opinion.

The problem I first encountered when trying to understand curling was thinking of it as a sport. When a friend advised me to think of it more as a game than a sport, things started falling into place. It has the strategy of chess or even pool. It may not require the brute strength of football or hockey or the agility of running and jumping, but it does require an intimate understanding of physics, teamwork, communication and a battle plan that is subject to constant attack and change.

My initial online research was obviously not enough. Watching curling on TV and then re-reading my research was immensely helpful. The next step will be watching it with others who know it better so that I can get a few more questions answered. Thank you, Andy, Tonia, and Seth for helping me take curling more seriously. Perhaps we can take in a "game" sometime.

Kudos to Canada on their attempt during the Closing Ceremony to humorously make up for the torch lighting snafu back during the Opening Ceremony. The use of a clown (above) to finally bring up the leg of the torch that had previously failed to rise from the floor was great. I loved that the Canadians used an international stage to laugh at themselves. I now forgive them, for that.

If I had to grade these Olympics, it would be hard. Taking the death of the Georgian luger out of the equation, I give Canada a B. If the loss of Nodar Kumaritashvili gets factored in, it has to be an F. I'm not willing to do that until the Olympic Committee's report comes out in April.

879 days until London 2012 Summer Olympics! - no worries...this countdown will not remain a staple of Snack for Later until we get within a month or so of the Games.

Keep It Real!